Never
by Mrs Narcissa Malfoy
Summary: Lucius/Narcissa, 6th year in Hogwarts. Lucius finally see's what Narcissa has been trying to hide from him..


Never by Malfeasance [Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy]  
  
Email: narcissamalfoy_@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: I do not know own Narcissa or Lucius. I improvised for Narcissa's parents, though.  
  
Author Notes: I wrote this in about an hour just because my muses struck me. It's my first Harry Potter story. And I love Narcissa/Lucius. Please Review!!  
  
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I remember the first time I saw what he had done to her. It was during the winter holidays, and I had returned to Hogwarts early.. to be with her. She had sent me a very brief owl only days before, letting me know that she had decided to leave her family earlier than expected. 'To catch up on school work,' she said. But I knew, and I would not leave her alone when she needed me most. I had hurried up to the Slytherin Girls dorm rooms, but had found her door locked tightly and not a noise on the other side. Her friends, her empty headed friends, ushered me away.  
  
"She will be out soon! She is just taking a nap." But I knew.  
  
They tried to flirt with me while I brooded in the common room, my worried gaze fixated on the flames of the fire. They were easy to ignore. Eventually, they drifted away, and I was left to my own. For several hours, I sat with my face in my hands, patiently waiting the time when my future wife would allow me to see her. When I heard light steps on the stairs, I nearly fell over as I jumped from the couch.  
  
"Narcissa---" But it was not her. Instead, her only true friend, Amilee Blakeney, stood before me. She looked frustrated, weary, and utterly depressed.  
  
"Lucius, she wants you to see you now." The words were barely out of her mouth and already I had reached the staircase. "I should warn you," she called out after me, but I barely hesitated. "It is not a very pretty site." But I did not care. All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and kiss her, assure her that I would never do something so heinous to her or any of our future children.  
  
Most would be shocked at my affection for my beloved Narcissa. No one thinks that I, the intimidating and cold Lucius Malfoy, could be capable of loving or being loved. But they are wrong. She loves me, and I love her.  
  
In my haste, I nearly bolted into the room. I caught myself, and instead of jerking open the door and rushing in, I paused and knocked. I heard something inside, like a scuffling, and then a muffled 'come in.' Only then did I open the door, and mentally I prepared myself.  
  
The room was dim with an orange glow from a few lit candles, and I could clearly see her form in bed. She was sitting, the sheets pulled to her waist, and her back supported by pillows. Her head was tilted down, so that there was a deep shadow cast across her face. Shutting the door behind me, I slowly walked in.  
  
"Narcissa.." She didn't look up, or even acknowledge my presence. I took a seat on the bed, facing her, and I had to resist the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her. "Darling --.." She looked up at the precise moment that I had begun to speak and instantly my breath was stuck in my throat. The glow of a candle had caught on her face, revealing the dark bruises on her cheekbones and under her beautiful blue eyes, and cuts marred her pretty lips. Scratches and bruises lined her graceful neck, forming a distinct pattern of someone's fingers.. fingers that had no business touching my love in such a fashion.  
  
I had never seen what he did to her before. I had never seen how he had hurt her, abused her, I had only heard her speak of it. And only rarely. She never told me what he did, just that he hurt her. A lot. A dark rage possessed me then, and I felt my fists shake in anger. I wanted him dead in that moment more than I had wanted anything. I hid my fury well, however, for I knew Narcissa would be frightened.  
  
My beautiful love, she is so very brave. I had seen her cry just once before, when her mother had died, and the sight of tears in her deep eyes now nearly undid me.  
  
"Lucius," She was choking back a sob, I could tell, and it made it difficult for her to speak. No doubt, her throat hurt her as well. I reached for her, my arms softly going around her while I was mindful of other injuries she may have sustained. That bastard. I ran my fingers over her hair and back, and she pressed against me.  
  
"Shh, love. I am here now, and I will never let him hurt you again." It was as if my words broke the dam, and she violently began to sob on my shoulder. All I could do was hold her and try to soothe her.  
  
Neither she nor I knew healing spells, and she had protested strongly when I suggested getting a teacher or another student to heal her. She did not want anyone to know, because she is strong like that.. My Narcissa.  
  
I held her while she sobbed, and I gently tended to her wounds. She had a long row of purple bruises down her soft stomach, and I could tell that there were some bruised ribs as well. I dressed her in bandages for the deep cuts and bruised ribs, and I applied ointment to the bruises. After I had finished, she insisted that she wear the shirt I had given to her. It had been one of mine, a long sleeved white button - up, and I had given it to her once when we were caught in the rain. I let her keep it, since she said it smelled like me and brought her comfort when I was no longer around. I had a million others like it, but every time I saw her wearing it, I couldn't help but smile.  
  
I tucked her into bed, made sure she was utterly comfortable, and turned to blow out the candles.  
  
"Lucius.. Please.. do not leave me. I am afraid.." She sounded so like a child at that moment that I could not deny her. Ultimately, I could never deny her anything. I undressed just to my pants and slid into the bed beside her after having blown the candles out. Bathed in darkness, she instantly curled up to me and her head nestled against my chest as I held her protectively.  
  
As she drifted to sleep, my mind went to all the ways that I would kill her father. I stayed awake, watching her with a deep frown on my face. I was uncomfortable, to be honest. I just was not used to having to take care of anyone, especially Narcissa. She has always been very independent, and never clung to me. But holding her as I was then, it invoked these possessive feelings. I vowed then, as I looked at her bruised face, I would never let her father lay another hand on her again.  
  
Her father, Marius Gautier, was an idiot. He had killed his wife, Pandora Gautier, and in his rage he nearly killed Narcissa. Now, he was just a drunkard. I hated when Narcissa went home, because she would always return and refuse to let me see her for days. I knew what happened every time, but I would never force her to open up to me. I was just thankful she was okay. I swore, each time, that I would get my revenge on Marius Gautier for what he had done.  
  
She awoke only once during the night. She turned her tear filled eyes to me, and sniffling, she said, "Lucius.. I am so ugly now. The bruises make me so repulsive." I lightly kissed her forehead, the only place that I could kiss without causing her discomfort.  
  
"You, my darling Narcissa, will never be ugly. You are a goddess, the most beautiful girl in the world."  
  
"Will you always love me?"  
  
"Of course, my dearest. I will love you even after the world has stopped turning." She gave me a curious smile, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. It hurt her to smile, the cuts on her lips stretched and bled if she did.  
  
"Promise me.. that you will never hit--"  
  
She didn't even have to finish speaking. "I promise, Narcissa."  
  
-- Fin -- 


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